A little peep from New England

Chafee files petition to reclassify marijuana

This has failed before. Linc is no champion either. -UA

By MEGAN HALL

PROVIDENCE, RI (WRNI) – Governor Lincoln Chafee is teaming up with the governor of Washington in an effort to change the way the federal government classifies marijuana. They’re calling on the Drug Enforcement Administration to consider the drug medically beneficial.

In a telephone conference call, Governor Chafee and Governor Chris Gregoire said they’ve filed a petition to change marijuana from a schedule I drug,which means it has no accepted medical use, to a schedule II drug, which means it could be sold in pharmacies.

The two governors say they’re filing the petition out of frustration- they’ve both halted medical marijuana dispensary programs in their states because of letters from U.S. Attorneys, warning that the stores are subject to federal raids.

Governor Gregoire says she hopes the DEA will handle the request quickly. A similar petition was rejected this year, nine years after the initial filing.

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